About this Research Topic
Positive Psychology can be traced back to 1998, when Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology and chairman of the APA, raised this concept. Seligman emphasized that psychologists should focus on the main missions of psychology, namely helping others to generate, identify, and cultivate the capacities of individuals, and develop the definition of psychology to include positive mental health, rather than the absence of illness.
In line with this perspective, the importance of identifying the strengths and capabilities of students in both regular and special schools and college/university students, as well as investing these characteristics, is increasingly being emphasized in the educational field. This is due to our expanding knowledge that while academic achievement and cognitive skills are significant, so are positive emotion such as happiness, assertiveness, confidence, autonomy, and adequacy.
In such a positive environment, where individual diversities are being supported, teachers assign appropriate and individual goals for each student and help him/her to achieve their goals. With this approach, the care and positive emotion created by teachers provide a suitable platform for students to explore and determine the best paths to reach their significant goals. The positive attitude approach creates a climate of trust and respect in which students can increase their academic achievement, as well as reach their personal growth and self-efficacy.
In today’s world, schools, colleges, and universities need, more than ever, to apply positive psychology strategies in their environment. Concepts like connectedness, academic well-being, personal resources, academic hope, mental health, and goal setting are part of positive psychology that is now being used in these settings.
However, further studies in the field of positive psychology in basic and higher education are needed, to design and carry out targeted early intervention to foster the wellbeing of students. The main goal of this Research Topic is to have a closer look in the practical applications and theoretical implications of positive psychology in the educational context, that leads to the better mental health of students.
We encourage authors to submit empirical and theoretical papers that focus on effective intervention programs with this population. In particular, we welcome original, review and meta-analysis papers that provide an overview and summary of the current state of research in this area and papers about positive psychology application in some aspect of classroom spaces, positive educational policies, innovations in academic consultation, activities fostering personal resources in schools, colleges, and universities (e.g. emotional intelligence, mindfulness, gratitude, forgiveness), positive self-management, teachers and students time perspective, school and classroom kindness, and broader educational issues that bear on subjects used in positive psychology.
In line with this perspective, the importance of identifying the strengths and capabilities of students in both regular and special schools and college/university students, as well as investing these characteristics, is increasingly being emphasized in the educational field. This is due to our expanding knowledge that while academic achievement and cognitive skills are significant, so are positive emotion such as happiness, assertiveness, confidence, autonomy, and adequacy.
In such a positive environment, where individual diversities are being supported, teachers assign appropriate and individual goals for each student and help him/her to achieve their goals. With this approach, the care and positive emotion created by teachers provide a suitable platform for students to explore and determine the best paths to reach their significant goals. The positive attitude approach creates a climate of trust and respect in which students can increase their academic achievement, as well as reach their personal growth and self-efficacy.
In today’s world, schools, colleges, and universities need, more than ever, to apply positive psychology strategies in their environment. Concepts like connectedness, academic well-being, personal resources, academic hope, mental health, and goal setting are part of positive psychology that is now being used in these settings.
However, further studies in the field of positive psychology in basic and higher education are needed, to design and carry out targeted early intervention to foster the wellbeing of students. The main goal of this Research Topic is to have a closer look in the practical applications and theoretical implications of positive psychology in the educational context, that leads to the better mental health of students.
We encourage authors to submit empirical and theoretical papers that focus on effective intervention programs with this population. In particular, we welcome original, review and meta-analysis papers that provide an overview and summary of the current state of research in this area and papers about positive psychology application in some aspect of classroom spaces, positive educational policies, innovations in academic consultation, activities fostering personal resources in schools, colleges, and universities (e.g. emotional intelligence, mindfulness, gratitude, forgiveness), positive self-management, teachers and students time perspective, school and classroom kindness, and broader educational issues that bear on subjects used in positive psychology.
Keywords: positive psychology, academic well being, positive education, positive classroom, students well being
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
